Jackson County, Missouri · Water Quality Report Card
Lotawana Lake
Lotawana Lake in Jackson County, Missouri has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 4.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 31 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 12.4 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 4.6 ft
- Mean depth
- ~34 ft est.
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
Lotawana Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Jackson County, Missouri with an estimated average depth of about 34 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 2 sampling years through 2022. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Compared to the 22 other monitored lakes in Jackson County, Lotawana Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Missouri DNR, last sampled 2022-08-30. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Murky, only visible to about 4.6 ft. Phosphorus level: 31 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 12.4 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 55.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 4.6 ft | |
| Phosphorus | 31 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 12.4 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 55 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Average Depth | ~34 ft est. |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled estimate from HydroLAKES, not a measured survey. Missouri has not published bathymetry for Lotawana Lake.
Where to stay near Lotawana Lake
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Fishing Lotawana Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.075 m/yr | 3 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -3.9 µg/L/yr | 3 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -2.6 µg/L/yr | 3 |
Location
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 23 lakes in Jackson County
Nearby Lakes in Jackson County
Explore Lotawana Lake across LakeGrade
More Missouri Lake Rankings
Other Grade B Lakes in Missouri
Eutrophic Lakes in Missouri
More records, surveys & data sources
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Where this data comes from
63 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Univ. of Missouri, Columbia
UMC63 samples · 2020–2022
Analytical methods
- Depth, Secchi disk in meters
- 4500 P E ~ Phosphorus in Water by Colorimetry- Ascorbic Acid Method
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
Grade thresholds come from the U.S. EPA National Lakes Assessment 2022 Technical Support Document (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated.
Data Sources
Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion
Most recent sample: 2022-08-30
Monitoring stations: 1